Abstract
Due to an increasing number of breast cancer diagnoses in younger women anecdotally noted at our institution, we conceived of this study %was to retrospectively review the records of women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40 for potentially alterable versus unalterable risk factors in their history. Between 2007 and 2013, there were 52 patients less than 40 years of age with breast cancer at our institution: 79% (41/52) presented with a clinical abnormality (palpable mass, nipple discharge or inversion) and 21% (11/52) were asymptomatic but diagnosed on early screening mammograms. Seventy-five percent (39/52) of the cancers had an invasive component and 87% (45/52) were intermediate to high grade. Sixty percent (31/52) of subjects had stage 0 or I disease, but 40% (21/52) had later stage disease (stage II or greater). The vast majority of the cancers were ER+ (82%) and PR+ (78%). Fifty-six percent (28/50; 2 unknown) of the subjects had a documented history of hormonal contraception. Fifty-three percent (27/51; 1 unknown) of had no family history of breast cancer whatsoever, and 80% (41/51) had no family history of breast cancer in a first degree relative. Six were positive for BRCA 1, 2, or a variant (6/52 = 12%).